Washing your hands and sanitizing surfaces are important in the fight against the coronavirus.
But one area you might have overlooked?
Your car.
Consumer Reports says disinfecting your ride goes far beyond the steering wheel.
INSIDE AND OUT, CONTROL KNOBSAND BUTTONS, THE TOUCHSCREEN,EVEN YOUR DIRECTIONAL ANDWIPER CONTROL STALKS ARETOUCHED VIRTUALLY EVERY TIMEYOU DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE."CONSUMER REPORTS AUTOMOTIVEEDITOR JON LINKOV SAYS SINCETHE INTERIOR OF MOST CARS AREMADE UP OF A NUMBER OFDIFFERENT MATERIALS, IT'SIMPORTANT TO USE THE RIGHTPRODUCTS, AND TECHNIQUES, TODISINFECT YOUR VEHICLEPROPERLY.
CHYRON: JON LINKOV,CONSUMER REPORTS AUTOS EDITOR"YOU DEFINITELY WANT TO STAYAWAY FROM USING BLEACH ORHYDROGEN PEROXIDE INSIDE YOURCAR.
THOSE PRODUCTS COULDEASILY DO DAMAGE TO YOUR CAR'SUPHOLSTERY." ACCORDING TO THECENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROLAND PREVENTION, ALCOHOLSOLUTIONS THAT CONTAIN ATLEAST 70-PERCENT ALCOHOLSHOULD BE EFFECTIVE AT KILLINGCORONAVIRUS.
THIS MEANS NEARLYEVERY INTERIOR SURFACE OF YOURCAR CAN BE CLEANED WITHISOPROPYL ALCOHOL-BASEDCLEANERS YOU ALREADY USEAROUND THE HOUSE.
CONSUMERREPORTS RECOMMENDS FOCUSING ONDISINFECTING THESE VEHICLE HOTSPOTS: YOUR STEERING WHEEL,DOOR HANDLES INSIDE AND OUT,YOUR CAR'S SHIFTER, ALL WINDOWAND CONTROL BUTTONS, WIPER ANDTURN SIGNAL STALKS, DOORARMRESTS, ANY GRAB HANDLES,AND SEAT ADJUSTERS.
"AND IFYOUR CAR HAS A TOUCH SCREEN,DON'T USE ANYTHING THAT HASAMMONIA AS AN INGREDIENT,SINCE IT CAN STRIP OFFANTI-GLARE ANDANTI-FINGERPRINT COATINGS ONTHE SCREEN." LOW ON CLEANINGSUPPLIES?
SOAP AND WATER AREALSO A SAFE BET FOR MOSTSURFACES.
BUT NO MATTER WHATYOU USE, A GENTLE TOUCH ISRECOMMENDED.
"THE SURFACESINSIDE YOUR CAR ARE USUALLYGOING TO BE MORE DELICATE THANSOMETHING LIKE THE COUNTERTOPIN YOUR KITCHEN, SO TAKE CAREIN HOW YOU APPLY THE CLEANINGPRODUCTS.
WIPE DOWN LEATHERGENTLY WITH A MICROFIBER CLOTH-- RUBBING TOO VIGOROUSLYCOULD START TO REMOVE THECOLOR FROM THE DYE IN THELEATHER." AND WHEN WIPING DOWNFABRIC UPHOLSTERY, AVOID USINGTOO MUCH WATER, IT COULD ENDUP CREATING A MUSTY SMELL ORENCOURAGING MOLD GROWTH IN THECUSHIONS.AND OUTSIDE OF CORONAVIRUSCONCERNS, CONSUMER REPORTSSUGGESTS ALWAYS DOING YOURBEST TO DRIVE WITH CLEAN HANDSTO KEEP THE SURFACES IN YOURCAR FROM COLLECTING DIRT OVERTIME AND LOOKING WORN OUT.TIME YOU DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE."CONSUMER REPORTS AUTOMOTIVEEDITOR JON LINKOV SAYS SINCETHE INTERIOR OF MOST CARS AREMADE UP OF A NUMBER OFDIFFERENT MATERIALS, IT'SIMPORTANT TO USE THE RIGHTPRODUCTS, AND TECHNIQUES, TODISINFECT YOUR VEHICLEPROPERLY.
CHYRON: JON LINKOV,CONSUMER REPORTS AUTOS EDITOR"YOU DEFINITELY WANT TO STAYAWAY FROM USING BLEACH ORHYDROGEN PEROXIDE INSIDE YOURCAR.
THOSE PRODUCTS COULD
U.S. new vehicle sales likely drove off a cliff in March as the coronavirus pandemic pounded consumer confidence and shuttered..
